Memories for the Future
by MinaRobins
Summary: As Voyager establishes two-way communication with the Federation, B'elanna receives a letter from her father. This is a family fic, more for the fluff than anything else.


**Title:** Memories For the Future

**Author:** Mina Robins

**Fandom:** Star Trek: Voyager

**Pairing:** Seven/ B'elanna

**Summary:** As Voyager establishes two-way communication with the Federation, B'elanna receives a letter from her father. This is a family fic, more for the fluff than anything else.

….

B'elanna sighed as she reread the note her father sent to her. He had asked for her …he wanted to talk. The half Klingon had been assuring everyone at lunchtime how completely ready she was to _see_ her father again but she was now feeling a tad anxious since she didn't really know what to _say_ to him.

Thinking back to the last conversation that she could recall would be the night before her father's departure. Her mother's mocking tone of voice had made its way into her bedroom and her father's equally agitated yelling made her dash to her parent's room. She had hoped to intervene somehow, to make up for what she had said at camp only nights ago. The only thing her parents could agree on was to never let B'elanna actually be in the same room as them while they argued.

Like the old Terran phrase; out of sight, out of mind.

B'elanna had never realized how unprepared she was for reminiscing about her childhood. Now 10 hours later, B'elanna was filled with memories of his departure, how it had devastated her mother and demolished what little control B'elanna had on her temper. She had hated being different, she had despised being called turtlehead and she had felt unreasonable abhorrence to being even one-half Klingon. She hated what she was more than the bullies in her school and the enemies she met as she went into Starfleet and soon after when she joined the Marquis. For the longest time she had built walls around her heart, walls with defences both inside and outside the barriers, thinking no one could harm her since she was the one doing the most damage.

Even though her mother had loathed her pathetic mate and the shame he had brought on her house, B'elanna had still desperately and not so secretly craved for his returned. She wanted him to be proud of her. She believed the absent of her father was caused by the continuously strain of living in a house filled with hormonal Klingons. Mostly, she deemed herself the blame.

After his disappearance B'elanna rebel against anything remotely Klingon, including her mother's side of the family. She wouldn't let a single word be spoken harshly against her father's character and when in presence of her Klingon family, those kinds of comments were in abundance. Their spiteful words were never meant against B'elanna's human heritage. Her Klingon family had only wanted to cheer up the disgruntled Miral. In all her 12 year old determination, B'elanna had vehemently decided to see him as the handsome committed human man that spoiled her with devote attention; the only thing that flawed the image was his desertion.

Two emotions warred against one another endlessly within her, her adoration for her father and the complete loathing of him for his abandonment. He was the basis of all her turmoil. Through him and what is the inestimable coincidence known as the Delta quadrant, B'elanna was given an opportunity to meet Seven. After a particularly awkward start of a friendship, Seven's patience and devotion had broken through B'elanna's ingrain barriers. Allowing the Klingon to finally come to terms with her father's abandonment and most importantly coming to terms with her inner turmoil.

Looking to her side she smiled tentatively, who would have thought that someone she had once saw only as the Ice Queen had turned into her best friend and was now her loving spouse of three years.

"Be'nal, do not worry," Seven reached out her hand, gently tracing the proud Klingon's head ridges. "I will be here for you."

B'elanna nodded, "I know Sevy, I don't think I would go see him right now if it wasn't for you, Kathless knows I have nothing to say to him."

Seven slowed her stride, "Then perhaps it is better to let him do the talking."

The shorter women's face had a slight hue of concern colouring her complexion at the mention of her father. "Yes, that would be smart huh, and Sevy thanks, just for being here for me."

The ex-Borg beamed at her wife, "I will always be here for you."

B'elanna was still overwhelmed at times by Seven's devotion. Seven would turn such simple phrase into promises. B'elanna never worried for lies because Seven would always mean what she said with every single piece of her heart. Moments like these reminded her constantly of how fortunate she was to have someone like her tall, sweet, Seven.

Katie, who was being held by Seven started squirming against the blonde, reaching her hands out for B'elanna. "Sos!"

The brunet laughed warmly, "And for the other love of my life, my little darling." She leaned close to her daughter and nuzzled against their first child's unruly chocolate coloured hair. "You're here for me too, aren't you?"

Katie squealed with glee, "Yes! Granpa?"

"That is correct, sweetheart," Seven responded softly, "We are going to see your Sos's Father."

….

B'elanna grimaced slightly as they entered the room; Harry had a sympathetic expression on his face, which she quickly returned with a playful smirk.

"I'll be fine Starfleet," B'elanna lifted up her joined hands and motioned towards her wife. "Seven and Katie are both here."

Katie was delighted at being mentioned and wave enthusiastically to her uncle Airy. Airy being Harry's most recent nickname, when Katie had first learned to speak she couldn't pronounce the "H" properly, thus giving the night-shift Captain another moniker.

Her godfather in kind beamed at his favourite godchild, well his only godchild, at least at the moment.

"You guys will have about 6 minutes." The young Asian said. "How did you manage to get both your times right next to each other?"

"Mama chooses for us!" Katie exclaimed. "But I'm supposed to keep it a secret on how she did it."

Harry gave the trio a sly grin. "Another secret?"

The young man had been fortunate enough to walk onto B'elanna and Seven when they had first been courting one another. Though still passionate in their lovemaking the pair had learnt to control their desires until they return to their quarters, at least for most of the time.

Least to say for Harry, getting to see the two very beautiful women locked in a fervent embrace in Astromestics was more than enough to make his day. He was later 'suggested' to swear never to speak about their little 'display'.

They weren't shy or ashamed of their love but it would have been entirely inappropriate for Janeway, the mother figure for both women, to hear about their relationship in the rumour mill. Especially since what Harry saw was going to be _another_ rumour about the couple's enthusiastic fraternization throughout the ship. The gossip surrounding the pair was colossal in size and a healthy amount was circulating about them having a romp in numerous work places.

"Elaborate what you are insinuating on, Ensign." Seven's smirk assured Harry she was only joking with him.

"Resistance is futile," Harry repeating the Borg's famous phrase with seriousness that matched a Vulcan's, "At least when the Torres-Hansen family wants something?" he questioned as he returned the smile.

A beeping caused him to return his gaze at the console. "Alright, joking aside, you guys are getting connected to Earth in about 30 seconds."

As the com-link faltered on the screen before them, the grip B'elanna had on Seven's hand increased to a level that would have been painful to a normal human. However, Seven being much more then human, inclined closer to her wife to place a light kiss upon B'elanna's brow. "Relax Be'nal."

The screen flickered until John Torres became visible; he was sitting on a simple russet coloured lounge chair and was wearing one of his finer grey suits. His face was sprouting a greying beard that matched his neatly combed hair. His eyes were strikingly brown; much like B'elanna's but the arrogance that once flowed in them was absent, revealing a softer gaze.

The arrogance that fought against his parent's remarks on his marriage had disappeared. The arrogance that sparked him for freedom from the same marriage had also vanished. He was not an idol B'elanna remembered or the heartless human that left her mother…and her; he was just a man that wished to be a father to his child.

"B'elanna." John's face broke into an overzealous smile. "It's wonderful to see you."

"Padre," B'elanna felt her heart tighten. She had imagine seeing him when she was younger, she had seen herself run towards him, hugging him and asking her father to never leave them again. As she grew up, she saw herself running _after_ him to enquire _why_ he had left. Though at this moment she felt her throat constrict, unable to voice her questions.

"Grandpa!" Katie said while waving her hand almost franticly at the older Torres.

The man appeared surprised for a moment and then absolutely delighted when he noticed the small ridges on the child's forehead. "Hello, how old are you my little grand daughter?"

"I'm almost two." Katie held up two fingers to prove her point.

"You're a splitting image of B'elanna when she was a child."

Katie held much of the same admiration B'elanna had had for her father. So when she heard this, she saw it as high praise. "Everyone tells me that!"

"Well it's wonderful to meet you." He smiled pleasantly, hoping that B'elanna would let him see his grandchildren if… _When_ Voyager got back to earth.

Seeing B'elanna staring at the screen as if she was in trance, Seven placed her hand on her wife's back, silently encouraging her to say something.

Taking a deep breath the Klingon at first stood ramrod straight and then shaking her head she decided instead to move closer to Seven. "This is Seven of Nine, my wife and this little one," B'elanna placed a hand on Katie's head, ruffling her child's hair. "This is Kathryn Miral Torres-Hansen."

"Seven?" John asked, "What an interesting name-"

"She was captured by the Borg, it was what they gave her as a designation." B'elanna answered stiffly, waiting to see if her father _dare_ show prejudice against Seven.

"Oh." Were the first words that slip out of his mouth, hoping to regain some composure John added, "I just thought since its now "Torres-Hansen"… It's great to meet you, I can tell you are very important to B'elanna, welcome to the family."

"Thank you; I still prefer my Borg designation for work." Seven smiled politely, she herself releasing a small breath of air. "You are welcome to use my human name if it makes you uncomfortable." She had fretted all night whether B'elanna's father would concur to their marriage due to her…connection to the Borg, but it was _obvious_ to everyone that John was exceedingly agreeable to B'elanna's choice for a partner.

"No, he'll call you Seven." Obvious to everyone but a very protective half Klingon.

Nodding reverently to show his understanding, John decided to address his daughter once again. "Your mother would have been honoured for you to name your child after her," John paused, not sure where to start. "You know I had a business trip on Kessick four and you won't believe what our old house looks like now."

"Oh." was B'elanna could manage to say in return, not sure why but she had half expected some bigotry towards Seven.

Katie struggled until her mama agreed to let her onto the ground, she then ran up closer to the screen to ask her grandfather about why being named after the Captain was so great.

John Torres was overjoyed; his daughter was alive, married, pregnant, and alive. He could not express how ecstatic he was that his daughter was healthy and breathing and very very pregnant …Wide eyed, John gawked at B'elanna's swollen stomach, from the start of their talk he had unconsciously focused on his daughter's face, trying to remember her features forever, comparing her complexion to the one in his memories. He was searching hysterically for any sign that B'elanna was either still mad at him or for a trace of love he wished she would still hold for him.

John moved a little closer to the screen, his smile brightening all over again "B'elanna I think you're almost at 30 weeks!"

"28 weeks," B'elanna's monotone aloofness was countered by her physical proximity from with Seven, her whole body was upright prominently because of her wife.

Harry decided to quip a, "You have one minute left."

"Look, we have less then a minute left now, what did you have to talk to me about." B'elanna's voice held a shimmer of longing in it, she subconsciously wanted her father to say something, but she didn't know quite what she wanted to hear.

Her father took a deep breath, "I know I can't make up for Twenty years in one conversation," John glanced up and try to gauge his daughter's reaction, "When your ship disappeared I thought I lost you," the man looked absolutely in anguish but still spoke with clear sincerity, "I don't expect you to forgive me but maybe we can try to get to know each other again?"

"I would like that a lot," B'elanna's voice quivered as she heard his words, she had been hoping her whole life her father would want to be part of her life again, and who would have thought it would be the Delta quadrant that caused it to happen. As she saw the screen glimmer she quickly added, "I'll write!"

"That's all I can ask for B'elanna," He looked absolutely relieved when he heard this, "I love you B'elanna and I'm so sorry."

The screen sparkled off before B'elanna's reply could be heard. She turned her back to Harry and tucked her head into Seven's shoulder as she started to cry silently.

"It's alright Bella," Seven coaxed as she rubbed her love's back. "We will get to see him again next month."

"We haven't talked to your aunt yet!"

"We will, however we will only speak with her for the regular three minutes unless Katie's little sister decide to make an early appearance," Seven continue to hold B'elanna against her, "Our daughter's allotted time will go to seeing my aunt, leaving the full six minutes for you father."

B'elanna smiled at how selfless Seven was; she quickly blinked her tears away before turning to Harry who looked relieved that his friend had calmed down. "I'm alright, you don't need to worry."

"I'm not Marquis, you'll be fine with Seven watching over you," The Asian snickered, "You know you need someone to watch out for you or you'll get into all kinds of trouble." This being a quirk about the time B'elanna had insisted to work herself to the bone even when she was nearing the end of her first pregnancy.

"Well Starfleet, I'm just glad I have the capable blonde and not the helm-rat."

Harry blushed and hastily turned back to the console, he was still a little shy towards the romance that had budded from being roommates with Tom. "How about I take Katie to the Messhall for something to eat?"

Katie giggled excitedly and after receiving approval from both her mother's she dashed out of the room with Harry running after her.

"About seeing my Aunt…" The blonde pulled B'elanna close to her body and leaned down to whispered. "You'll be there for me won't you?"

"Of course Annika, always."


End file.
